There are so many pro's and con as to being an artist, professional or as a hobby.

It feels nice to be able to express yourself through something you make and when that something turns out to be looking good we get this sense of accomplishment.

Most of the time though there are bad feelings mixed with the good ones.

Not being understood. Those moments where your friends or family does not understand that you have to desire to be alone and work on your art. Those copious amounts of hours you spend working and they wonder why you wouldn't rather be outside relaxing in the sun or hang out with your friends.

The only people who will ever fully understand this are other artists or simply very understandable people. It's important they they will eventually understand so there wont be any hurt feelings. Try to explain ti as calmly and rational as you can, perhaps with using examples in terms they would understand.

The frustrations of not getting it right. Something is missing, but what exactly? A certain skill a certain.... what? Not knowing how to get ti right. How to get that image you saw so clearly as a flash in your head. One of the good ways of solving this problem is talk about it with other artists perhaps they can give you feedback.

The struggle of time. To having enough time on your hands to work on your art. Work, family, expectations they can all be in the way of that sometime. Try and find a good balance and sometimes that means making choices.

Money issues. We all know that artists usually don't get the high paying gigs in their first years, maybe not in ever. The whole world has this image of artists that life on noodles and bread and this can be sort of true, in the first years of art. But you gotta keep to it, the good days will come!

Rejection of your work. From an artschool, attention, features, jobs, social groups. It hurts. But it will happen over and over again and each time it will make you stronger and care a little less about the next rejection. Yet the sting of it remains, simply try not to linger in it and focus on the next positive steps. (You should know about the amount of times I got rejected XD )

The cynical voice that tells you that you will never make it. IT's the critique in your head giving in to all the doubts and fears. I will never be good enough, I have not a good enough imagination, I can not come with good ideas. Every good artwork/idea has come forth out of hundreds of failed attempts so don't let the cynical side of you win from the hopeful optimism!

Square butt syndrome. Being an artist is not a very physically active job. You end of spending copious amounts of days sitting on your butt. Maybe occasionally you go wild a bit and stand behind an easel to paint. But in general a lot of artists have to actively make time to work out a bit. Same goes for food, eating behind your desk often results in crazy munchies! Just keep yourself from buying snacks and keep snack able veggies close by. (Did you know that eating a banana will give you a lot of energy to keep painting, better than an energy-drink!)

The feeling of being exposed. Showing your work to the world can make you feel very vulnerable. Everyone can see it and form an opinion about it. Your natural wish is for others to like your work, but plenty of times people will express how they don't and what sort of things they deem wrong with it. Try and not take it personal. It is an impossible mission for everyone to like your work, there will always be people who have something to say. Use the critiques as "to work on plans"and positive comments as energy to make more

No one said this was going to be easy

But you are not alone in this! We all got through this and it's very normal. No artist has ever been without any of these issues, even the ones you look up too. And most of these issues will always stay with you. Now it's up to you to accept them and live with them, they are part of you being an artist. But the great stuff is so worth it... I tell you

Leave me a comment about your experiences and perhaps points I haven't mentioned.

Disclaimer: The artwork posted in my journals are not made by me but artists I admire. This is my way of sharing their incredibly work with the rest of you. All these journals are based on my personal experience and that of artist friends. English is my second language and I have dyslexia so do note I am prone to make mistakes. I write these journals to remind myself of the things I've learned.

Also those moments when people constantly approach while you're trying to work and exclaim, "did you draw that from your head?!"As well as people//cough//parents//cough// who believe rolling in grass//cough//sports//cough// is more productive than art, haha.

Hmm, I agree with the food one in a way, however I often forget to eat. I guess it depends on the person.

Most of my friends are also pretty obsessive about their own interests, so they understand me wanting to do art a lot. But I really agree with the frustration of not getting things right. I always have these ideas in my head, but not enough experience or skill to put them on paper yet.

I can relate to the first one and "Square-butt syndrome" the most. My dad always asks why I don't go out more often, and I just don't seem to have a good enough answer for him. As for the syndrome, I sit in a comfortable place; a bed or couch/soft chair works well. I don't need those hard seats! XD

I know that feeling where you're trying to draw and it's completely silent and then my mother pops in to my room for the 10th time in an hour, asking me if I were alright. D:< it so irritating. The other issue I have is that I might be better than most kids at drawing in my class but that doesn't mean that A) I can draw realistic or objects or backgrounds B) that I'm the best in art, I'm really really bad compared to others XD and C) I.Can't.Draw.Everything, I keep getting request to draw stuff, which I never end up drawing because it's all this stuff that I'm not interested in and that I just can't drawTheir expectations of me are just too high

My mother is an abstract artist ( she does abstracty art) and she is so against manga and anime and cartoons. My art is based off of those stuff Ō-Ō and then she goes on and on about how there's this kid she know that draws manga and wants to be a famous manga dude and how she hopes he'll grow out of the "phase" and then she said she hoped I'd grow out of it and I was silent ( no,mother,no I will not grow out of my "manga phase" . What I draw isn't manga, but I like manga, so stop saying how stupid it is, thanks)

With art as my hobby and getaway from reality, I definitely experience this regularly lol. the struggle of time and the frustrations of not getting it right are factors that keep me from finishing my work but I promise myself I will finish it for the feeling of reward and satisfaction

Not being understood. Those moments where your friends or family does not understand that you have to desire to be alone and work on your art. Those copious amounts of hours you spend working and they wonder why you wouldn't rather be outside relaxing in the sun or hang out with your friends.

The only people who will ever fully understand this are other artists or simply very understandable people. It's important they they will eventually understand so there wont be any hurt feelings. Try to explain ti as calmly and rational as you can, perhaps with using examples in terms they would understand.FINALLY. SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS. I'm often in my room, spriting or drawing. My grandma thinks I'm being antisocial. My mom is scared I'm going to give out personal info. PLEASE. I don't even give out my real name! My best friend doesn't understand too well. Sometimes I feel like faceplanting on my desk.

I totally agree with you. I've been spending a lot of time lately holed up in my room, trying to perfect my techniques and etc.. My parents had been nagging about doing other things but I'm just like NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. It's always nice to have other people who understands that and know what you're going through

Rejection of your work. From an artschool, attention, features, jobs, social groups. It hurts. But it will happen over and over again and each time it will make you stronger and care a little less about the next rejection. Yet the sting of it remains, simply try not to linger in it and focus on the next positive steps. (You should know about the amount of times I got rejected XD )

not true, I think now, it's considerd bullying. And if it is a youger person who was told there is a flaw in their art, and they go on and on about working for a company, or being a world famous Mangaka(that is what the makers of a Manga are called right?) then it is a "sin" to make them feel bad by "this needs help" or "not my thing". Like if all someone draws is cartoon lions, and you say branch out. they quit art all together and want to commit suicide.

you might want to put down also, the paranoia of check overpayment scams. I almost had one. I was "wtf, this is not what we agreed on, I'm sending it back" only to realise I didn't have their adress, and allmed did not send me the check

yes exactlyno one i know understands me?? they keep telling me im not japanese and i shouldnt waste my time on anime and art wtf,and yet its ok for my siblings to play video games all day and fight with eachother hhh h hh H.,

This is just what I needed right now. Self doubt, not enough time and the feeling of being exposed have tried to infest my imagination and took down a lot of my creativity and motivation recently. Thanks for sharing this and showing that no artist seems to be alone with these kind of things.

Lately I feel so uninspired. Overwhelmed by the world and just life.This little voice of uncertainty just brings me down every day for few months now. I feel empty headed... And again I started to have doubts, is it the right thing for me?

- The cynical voice that tells you that you will never make it. IT's the critique in your head giving in to all the doubts and fears. I will never be good enough, I have not a good enough imagination, I can not come with good ideas. Every good artwork/idea has come forth out of hundreds of failed attempts so don't let the cynical side of you win from the hopeful optimism!

Is true that I think I lack of creativity, but then, seeing now awesome artist that once sucked awfully make me keep going

You are very true. my problem about showing my artwork is that everyone expects me to be.....Bright. but I love dark mystifying art. It thrills me. I dream the same way too! But when people see my...uuhhh... Dark side? They think something is VERY wrong with me. That's when they want me to out to therapy -_- So it's not only criticism you have to watch out for... it's the people trying to control YOU.

I started drawing a year and a half ... is not easy, in fact, things are not always easy. But I'm practicing every day and progressing well. Well, today I have my own dash! I never thought I could get it, but I managed! One can never give up! I have not finished a portfolio to send out there, but I know I can take many 'no' right away. But that's life, is always to try, try and try. One time things go right. Great post Suzanne! Encouraged me to never give up! : love:

I can relate to the first topic very well (actually, I can relate to this whole journal!). My ex-best friend from school just couldn't (or wouldn't, I don't know) understand why I draw. During an argument on Bebo, she stated that I draw because I "live in a fantasy land and can't handle reality." She didn't stop to think that perhaps I draw because I'm an artist and that's what I do!

With regards to the rejection, I failed to get into a college course last year because the tutor wasn't impressed by my portfolio, and refused to look at my digital work. And just because I included ONE manga-type drawing, he assumed that that was all I was interested in, despite the fact that I included that piece to show that my style is quite flexible. Oy.